Master Facilities Plan Phase 1 Kicks off at MECC

Master Facilities Plan Phase 1 Kicks off at MECC

Posted on 09/14/2017

A cadre of Mason five, six, and seven-year olds braved the rain to break ground on the first phase of Mason City Schools Master Facilities Plan - an addition to the Mason Early Childhood Center (MECC) that will ensure all of the district’s 2,085 preschool through second graders attend the same school in 2019-2020. Currently, the district’s second graders are split between MECC and Western Row Elementary.

“During my 20 year tenure as an educator in this district I’ve seen a small semi-rural community bloom into a large school district with awesome diversity and robust opportunities for students. I’ve seen the community move from large scale farms to large scale neighborhoods filled with families who want the very best educational experiences for their children. I’ve seen creative thinking at its best as our district leadership has worked through the trials of growth and come together time and time again to plan for our learners’ future,” said MECC Principal Melissa Bly. “[Today’s groundbreaking] marks the continued forward movement of planning and preparation to make way for our next generation of learners. Mason has always been at the front end of what is yet to come and the creation of the Master Facilities Plan is no different. It provides fiscal opportunity to take some of our older building structures and makes them conducive to the needs of our learners now and in the future. It also provides opportunity for all of Mason’s second graders to once again be in the same facility. Overall, it pulls together resources from the state and district to make sure that our future is solid and that our district is ready to take on whatever challenge may come our way.”

The Mason City Schools community supported the district’s facility needs, and the district is now implementing its Master Facilities Plan that’s been in the works since 2000. Learn more about the history of the Mason’s facilities planning from former school board member, Marianne Culbertson, who spoke during the September 13 groundbreaking ceremony. The Master Facilities Plan includes a modest addition to the Mason Early Childhood Center, some renovations inside Mason Intermediate School, and a total renovation of Mason Middle School.

Under the plan that community members liked best, in 2019-2020 the district's preschool through second graders will attend the Mason Early Childhood Center; third through sixth graders will attend Mason Intermediate School; seventh and eighth graders will attend Mason Middle School; and ninth through twelfth graders will attend Mason High School. Western Row Elementary will close in 2019-2020.

Nearly $34 million of the $43 million plan is being paid for with tobacco settlement funds from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, and the remaining costs are funded by local business tax abatements. Due to careful planning, this entire project will not require voters to approve a bond-levy.